Nikon Coolpix P7700

Nikon P7700

Nikon's P series of compact cameras are the company's answer to the ever popular Canon G series, such as the G12 and new Canon G15 .

Nikon Coolpix P7700 Review

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 has the longest zoom lens of any point-and-shoot camera in its class, but the lens should be stopped down to increase sharpness. The Nikon Coolpix P7700 ($499.95 direct)($449.98 at Amazon) is the follow-up to last year's P7100($449.98 at Amazon). It's a streamlined version of that camera's design—it omits the optical viewfinder, so it's not as tall, and integrates the front control wheel into the grip. The lens covers the same 28-200mm field of view—but it starts at f/2 and only closes to f/4 at the telephoto extreme, a full stop faster on both ends of the spectrum. The 12-megapixel camera maintains the excellent control layout of its predecessors, although images aren't quite as sharp with the lens wide open at f/2. The P7700 is a very good camera, but even with a fast lens and larger-than-average 1/1.7-inch image sensor, it can't compete with our Editors' Choice high-end compact—the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100($239.95 at Amazon)—which features a 1-inch sensor and a sharper lens. Design and Features The P7700 measures 2.9 by 4.7 by 2 inches (HWD) and weighs a bit shy of a pound at 13.9 ounces. It's not that...

Nikon Coolpix P7700

The Nikon Coolpix P7700 ($499.95 direct) is the follow-up to last year's P7100 . It's a streamlined version of that camera's design-it omits the optical viewfinder, so it's not as tall, and integrates the front control wheel into the grip.

Nikon Coolpix P7700 keeps it lukewarm

It's a solid enthusiast "compact" that will please a lot of shooters, but the Nikon Coolpix P7700 doesn't quite deliver at midrange ISO sensitivities and its image-processing overhead might annoy impatient photographers.

Nikon Coolpix P7700 review: Nicely designed, but is that enough?

It's a solid enthusiast "compact" that will please a lot of shooters, but the Nikon Coolpix P7700 doesn't quite deliver at midrange ISO sensitivities and its image-processing overhead might annoy impatient photographers. As with Canon's G series of cameras, I'm really struggling to identify the particular needs that models like the Nikon Coolpix P7700 serve. I can only arrive at them by process of elimination: you want better photo quality than a $250 point-and-shoot (but can't afford the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100), don't care about a big zoom range, don't care about size, and don't care about speed. They're perfectly fine cameras, with lots of photography-friendly twiddly bits, but there are other cameras like them that are smaller, faster, better, and comparably priced.

The Canon Powershot G15 is a well-refined product and a joy to use. It is very quick and responsive in operation, built like a tank and offers the most external controls in its class.

Nikon Coolpix P7700

The P770's image quality is slightly better than its predecessor's, if only because of improved colour rendering. Overall, unless you really need the optical viewfinder, it's a reasonable upgrade. It is also more ergonomic than the Canon PowerShot G15, generally because of its shooting design.

Nikon Coolpix P7700 review

The Nikon P7700 looks and performs every part the high-end camera; it's far better in almost every area than its predecessor, although the lack of a viewfinder (or ability to add one that works in conjunction with the zoom) is perplexing.

Nikon Coolpix P7700

Great handling and excellent image quality, but some performance aspects disappoint.

Nikon Coolpix P7700

Where consideration for the Nikon P7700 becomes tricky depends on its intended use. For those already equipped with a DSLR and lenses, the P7700 makes an excellent second camera to use when the bulk of a DSLR system is cumbersome.